Exercise Library

Standing Barbell Curl

Target Body Part:Arms

Equipment Needed:Barbell

Step 1

Starting Position: Stand holding a barbell with your thumbs around the bar and your with your palms facing the wall in front of you. Your grip should be shoulder-width apart to allow your arms to hang at your sides, touching your torso. The bar should rest on the front of your thighs with your wrists straight, not bent (neutral).

Step 2

Stand in a split-stance position with knees slightly bent to stabilize your body. Brace your torso by contracting your abdominal/core muscles. Pull your shoulder blades down and back. Your head and neck should be aligned with your spine. Maintain these engagements throughout the exercise.

Step 3

Upward Phase: Exhale. Bend your elbows, raising the bar toward the front of your shoulders in a slow and controlled manner. Keep your torso erect and the wrists in neutral. Do not allow the shoulders to shrug, the back to arch or sway or the elbows to move forward throughout the movement.

Step 4

Downward Phase: Inhale. Straighten the elbows and lower the barbell back to your start position in a slow and controlled manner. Your elbows remain by your sides and are straight but not locked. Do not bounce the bar off the front of your thighs. Maintain your split-stance, torso, shoulder and wrist positions.

As some of us show structural differences at the elbow, we may not be able to grip the barbell with our arms against our sides in the lowered position unless we force a bend at our wrists. The grip position you select should be the one that is most comfortable and enables you to keep the wrists aligned with the forearm. For extra forearm strength, squeeze the bar as hard as possible throughout the full range-of-motion of the movement.